


Doppelpass - How to Solve a Problem Like Mario?

by thelastaerie



Series: Doppelpass [3]
Category: Freier Fall | Free Fall (2013), Mario (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Football, Crossover, Football | Soccer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:34:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24540868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelastaerie/pseuds/thelastaerie
Summary: Marc and Kay are living their new life in Hamburg.  Marc is the manager of St. Pauli football team who has just been promoted to Bundesliga top league.  He begins to notice that one of his players, Mario Lüthi, seems to be harbouring a secret; and has taken an interest in meeting Kay...
Relationships: Marc Borgmann & Kay Engel, Marc Borgmann/Kay Engel, Mario Lüthi/Leon Saldo
Series: Doppelpass [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773610
Comments: 99
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the “Doppelpass” serie universe, this is a slight crossover with the characters from the movie “Mario” (2018), although you do not need to watch “Mario” to follow this story. 
> 
> This is still mainly a Marc & Kay story.
> 
> For readers who have watched “Mario” - this is set at the time BEFORE Mario goes looking for Leon, so it is a Canon-divergence for the Mario canon.
> 
> This will be a 3-part standalone story, in about 10K (at least that’s what I’ve planned!)
> 
> All comments (or questions?) are welcome. Thank you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marc suspects one of his players might be gay  
> Kay finds someone outside their home in Hamburg
> 
> Kay's and Marc's POV, as indicated by ( )

(Kay)

“When did you first realise you were gay?”

Kay was startled by the unexpected question from the man lying next to him in bed. He thought Marc was sleeping.

Kay put down his ‘Manual of Canine and Feline Dentistry and Oral Surgery’ textbook. Surprisingly no one has ever asked him this question before. Might have to do with the fact that he hadn’t been out for the most part of his adult life.

“Tobias Haas,” he said to Marc.

“Huh?”

“I wanted to kiss Tobias instead of his sister Vanessa when I was 10,” Kay explained.

“You wanted to kiss a boy when you were 10?”

Kay shrugged, remembering a boy with a head of raven black hair and a very intense face. He has always been attracted to serious looking dark-haired guys, maybe he did have a type. Kay smiled to himself and said, “Toby was very handsome. Sometimes he would rough me up and take my lunch money.”

Marc coughed and sat up straighter in bed. “Your unhealthy attraction to bullies is deeply disturbing.”

“It’s not that. I knew he roughed me up because he wanted to have an excuse to touch me. Not to mention, he waited outside the school for me every morning.”

“To. Rob. You.” Marc reminded him.

Kay grinned. “That’s our mating call, I guess. I knew I could take him on if I wanted to.”

Marc just shook his head, though his expression turned serious again. “So, you knew you were gay when you were 10, is that what you are saying?”

Kay nodded. “Maybe not consciously, but I knew I liked looking at boys. I wasn’t giving it a name, but I knew I was different.”

Marc seemed to be mulling that over. Then he asked, “so you can always tell who’s gay? Like you knew I was attracted to you?”

“Not really. My gaydar is not the sharpest,” Kay grinned. He’s enjoying this chat with Marc, who despite being the only openly gay football coach in 1. Bundesliga, rarely wanted to talk about his sexuality. Kay looked at his partner for more than five years, the man who, in many people’s eyes - gave up his career for love - there wasn’t a day went by that Kay didn’t think he was incredibly lucky. “I wasn’t sure you were attracted to me in that way, but I certainly hoped so,” Kay confessed with a faint smile. “What prompted this question?”

“I think one of my players is gay.”

This was not what Kay was expecting.

“Who?”

Marc grimaced. “I don’t know if I should tell you...”

“I am not the press. And I am not in your team. Though you could use a better left winger...”

Marc chuckled. “I’d sign you in a heartbeat, baby.” He kissed Kay on the lips before he said, “though you are a bit out of shape, I would have to put you through some vigorous training.” Then he proceeded to tickle Kay’s armpit with his fingers. Kay squealed and jerked away, dropping the heavy textbook with a loud thud and half of the duvet slipped off onto the floor. They began to wrestle in bed.

The commotion unavoidably woke up Axel, who jumped up to the end of their bed, thinking his owners have started a game.

“Axel, platz!” Marc ordered Axel to get down.

But Axel simply lay down on bed, tucked his paws beneath him and curled up, head resting on his tail; it had no intention to leave.

“Look what you’ve done,” Kay laughed. “It’s ok, let him be.”

“I thought we are not supposed to let him sleep in our bed. And you are supposed to be a vet.”

Kay rubbed Axel’s short furs gently, who shamelessly leaned into the touch and started licking Kay’s wrist. “It’s ok as long as he leaves when we tell him to. He probably feels cold and wants to be near us.”

“You mean as long as he leaves when YOU tell him to.” Marc flopped back down on his pillow, seemingly have given up. After a few seconds, he exhaled slowly and finally went back to their original subject. “Mario Lüthi. I think Mario is gay.”

“The Swiss striker you signed from that tiny 1st league club last season?”

Marc nodded. “I didn’t sign him myself. He was on the radar of St Pauli’s scouting team for years. He’s good. Very driven. Very focused. He trains hard. Lives and breathes football.”

“Sounds like someone I know,” Kay smirked.

Marc grunted. “That’s the problem. He’s a bit of a loner. Doesn’t seem to have a life outside work.”

“And you think he’s gay because...” Kay prompted. _This football-mad Swiss loner better not be hitting on my boyfriend._

“Sometimes he seems sad and I think he’s hiding something.”

“What else? Being a loner and hiding something doesn’t necessarily mean he’s gay. People have all sorts of secrets.” Kay knew Marc wasn’t telling him something.

“Well... remember you came to the game last week; I was supposed to meet you at the carpark afterwards, but I forgot, and you came looking for me?”

Kay remembered. They had lost to Bayern Munich at home by a late goal. Typical Marc who had lost track of time with his post-match team talk. By the time Kay had gone looking for him, a handful of players were still in his office.

“He was looking at you,” Marc said.

Kay frowned. “That’s it? He looked at me. So what? Everyone is curious about us, even straight guys.”

Everyone knew about Marc and Kay. You have to be living under a rock for the past six years to not know about the bomb they detonated in the football world. Kay has been keeping a low profile though, having quitted football. He didn’t go to the St Pauli’s training ground, didn’t socialise with Marc’s players, Marc attended most club functions by himself. Kay was just a private resident living with a football manager.

“I know that look...” Marc trailed. Shaking his head a little. “That a second too long lingering look. It’s obvious he finds you attractive.”

A smart remark was on the tip of his tongue, but Kay swallowed it. It wasn’t the time to tease when Marc was obviously concerned.

“So what if he’s gay? You and I should know it’s up to him to decide if he wants others to know,” Kay said carefully.

Marc nodded. “I know,” he said but two deep frown lines appeared between his brows. “It’s just that I thought being in a team like St. Pauli, having a manager like me, he should feel safe to come out. I am wondering if I am not doing enough... “ He paused. Searching for better words. “I feel like I should help.”

What Marc said was all valid. But having been in the closet himself for most of his adult life, Kay understood. “It’s still a big deal. You know it is. Maybe he hasn’t reconciled being gay with himself. Coming out is hard, even if you have support.”

Kay smiled and kissed Marc on the lips softly. He knew his stern football manager boyfriend was in fact a big softie inside. “Marc, all you can do is to support him when he decides to tell you, or to come out. The rest is up to him.”

******

Kay had soon forgotten about their discussion about Mario Lüthi, until one day he came home from university and found a baby-faced young man with blond hair loitering outside. Instead of guarding their door, Axel was playing fetch with the stranger through the wrought iron gate.

Axel dropped the stick in his mouth and jumped up behind the gate when he saw Kay’s approach.

“Hallo?” Kay walked next to the young man.

“Scheiße...” he said under his breath, turning his face away. They haven’t formally met, but Kay recognised him.

“Mario? Mario Lüthi?” Kay asked while his eyes searched for Marc.

“Hi... I am sorry,” Mario mumbled an apology. His face was beet red.

“Do you have a meeting with Marc?”

“What?” He looked up like a deer in the headlights. Shaking his head vigorously, he said, “no, Coach doesn’t know I’m here. I... I am sorry. I should leave.” He turned and started running away.

“Hey Mario, Wait!” Kay ran towards the runaway man. Mario might be 8 years younger, but Kay was still a fast runner. He caught up with Mario in under 50m and stopped him with a pat on his shoulder.

Mario looked even more startled. He swallowed and sounded like he’s about to apologise again. Kay waved his hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Marc if you don’t want me to.”

They started walking in a slower pace together. “You want to tell me why you are outside our house?” Kay asked.

Mario didn’t reply right away, his head was still down. Kay waited.

“I... I live nearby,” Mario stuttered. But eventually he managed to tell Kay the name of a gated community about 20 minutes from their house. “I was just taking a walk in the nearby woods, I remember Coach Borgmann’s house is around here, I just... anyway, I am sorry.”

Kay waved his apology away. “We are neighbours then. Did you just move into the area?”

Mario nodded distractingly. Kay followed his line of sight; he was doing a sweep of the house and its surroundings. “So, it’s just the two of you living here?” He asked with a hint of wonder in his voice. The question was as abrupt as its withdrawal, before Kay could answer, Mario quickly said, “shit. Ignore me, I know you two value your privacy. I shouldn’t show up like this, I’m...”

“Mario, if you say you’re sorry again, I am going to tell Marc to bench you,” Kay joked. Upon seeing the kid’s widened eyes, Kay quickly added, “I am joking.”

Mario just stared at Kay like he was from another galaxy, there were equal fear and curiosity in his blue eyes. Kay assessed the young man in front of him. He’s rather slim built to play as number 9 striker, a bigger defender could bump him off easily if he’s not quick enough. He looked younger than his 21 years of age with soft blond hair kept short with a side parting. He’s not exactly handsome, his forehead was too wide and his eyes were too close together; but he’s cute in an exotic way, his mouth pouty and seemed to have a permanent scowl, like he hadn’t smiled for a very long time.

Kay held his gaze, allowing Mario to assess him as well.

Marc was wrong. Mario didn’t fancy Kay, he’s just curious; but Marc was right about the other thing, Mario was gay.

“Do you want to come in?” Kay offered.

******

(Marc)

Marc could hear the sound of their espresso machine as he stepped into the foyer. Kay was addicted to that new gadget. The coffee machine was a graduation gift, it wasn’t your average pop a capsule coffee maker, but an all chrome and stainless steel serious machine. And of course, it was Larsen’s brilliant idea. He smiled faintly, imagining Kay making his nth cup of the day, so he could stay up late to study for his pro licence; then complained Marc woke him up in the morning.

And there he was. Standing in front of the coffee machine. Marc took a moment to admire Kay’s strong and lean back, moving around gracefully like a real barista.

He came up quietly behind Kay and wrapped his arms around his waist. “You know I can keep you awake without caffeine, baby,” he said close to Kay’s ear.

Kay’s reaction was not what he expected. His body tensed up. He cleared his throat and turned to face Marc, looking sheepish. “Hey... erm. Mario is here.”

For a second, Marc couldn’t make sense of the sentence. _Mario?_ Then he looked up and saw his first team striker sitting on his sofa just 2 metres away from the kitchen countertop.

“Coach.” Mario stood up. He had his hands deep in his jeans’ front pockets, head down, looking like he’s waiting for punishment dished out by a headmaster.

“Mario, what are you doing...” Marc opened his mouth. His home was not open door to his players. He’s not the kind of coach who held parties to bond with players. In fact, he had a reputation of being fair but stern. And he most certainly didn’t want any of his player to have an image of him snogging his boyfriend.

“I bumped into Mario, he lives nearby, so I invited him to come in for a beer,” Kay said quickly. Marc knew a white lie when he heard one, he took one look at Mario’s face and knew no doubt Kay was shielding him from Marc’s reprimand.

Somehow the crazy stalker incident from years ago was more traumatic for Marc than for Kay. Marc was the one who had insisted on installing the iron gate and home security system, so no, he did not like the idea of his fans, or his players just show up outside his house unannounced.

Mario wasn’t stupid either, he knew he had outstayed his welcome; he grabbed his sneakers from under the sofa - _Jesus, he took off his shoes? How long has he been here? Just chatting with Kay like they are friends._ \- For Marc, this was tougher than strategising a game plan against Bayern Munich.

“I should go now. Thank you for the beer and the...” Mario didn’t finish the sentence, something close to gratitude in his eyes. Kay gave him a reassuring smile. “Anytime,” he said cheerily.

“See you tomorrow, Coach,” Mario looked at Marc directly for the first time today. His face was still red, but he didn’t seem nervous.

Marc just nodded dumbly because he still hasn’t gotten over his shock. He watched Mario took one last look at their house and closed the door.

What. The. Hell.

“Kay - “

“Wait! Let me finish making my coffee first,” Kay stopped him quickly. “Do you want one?” He went back to his espresso machine.

Marc sighed heavily. At this rate, he would need a stiff drink. He swore sometimes he wanted to strangle Kay if it wasn’t for the fact that he couldn’t live without the handsome devil.

“Kay!” Marc warned when Kay started making heart shape with steamed milk in their coffee cups.

“Come on, let’s enjoy the coffee, I still have 30 hours of studies to do this week,” Kay said. They took the mugs to the garden.

“Fess up,” Marc said impatiently.

Kay took a sip of his coffee and closed his eyes. Clearly enjoyed extending Marc’s agony.

“I saw him loitering outside our house, he was playing fetch with Axel, so I invited him in,” Kay shrugged.

Marc sat up straighter, “loitering? Is he stalking you? I should check if he really lives nearby.” _This is not acceptable._

“Relax. He’s not lying, he lives near the Gymnasium. I think he’s curious about us.”

“Curious?”

“Because you are right. He’s gay,” Kay said.

Marc shoved down his own alarm and asked, “he told you that?”

“Not in so many words, I don’t think he’s completely comfortable with it himself.” Kay paused. “We just talked about mundane stuff, really. He knows I am a native, so he asked me about Hamburg. Then we talked about our times in youth teams. That’s when he mentioned he had a very good friend from the same team back then, and how they are not talking anymore because his friend has quitted football.”

Marc frowned. Not connecting dots yet.

Kay raised his eyebrows. “I quitted football too,” he said. Like he’s giving a hint.

“You think Mario thinks you’re like his ‘good friend’?” Marc attempted to solve the riddle.

“I think he wants to understand the reason behind my decision and how we survived that as a couple,” Kay explained.

“Kay, you are drawing a lot of conclusions based on one passing mention of a friend,” Marc said skeptically. Even though Marc had his suspicions about Mario, he couldn’t see why he would seek out Kay to... what? To consult?

“Don’t forget I took psychology as a minor in uni.”

“You study the psychology of canine.” Marc reminded him. “You might be more helpful to a gay dog,” he teased. Marc still didn’t like being surprised by one of his players like this, but he felt a fraction more relaxed knowing the kid had no malice motive.

“Ha-ha. Very funny” Kay kicked Marc’s leg under the table. “All I am saying is the poor kid probably has no one to talk about this with. He told me his girlfriend broke up with him recently, the way he said ‘girlfriend’, it’s like he knew I’d understand it’s a fake relationship.”

Marc had heard about the break-up, 20-something footballers weren’t that much different from high schoolers when it comes to gossiping.

“You think his so-called girlfriend is like Britt?”

Kay shrugged. “You and I should know how to play that game.”

_Yes, we do. And it hadn’t been easy._

“And what did you tell him?”

“Huh?” Kay looked puzzled for a second.

“What did you tell him about the reason behind your decision to quit football?”

Kay’s mouth curved into a reluctant smile. “I told him I couldn’t live with the lie anymore. And that between playing football and being with you, I’d always choose you.”

Marc’s heart gave a stutter. It’s been nearly six years now, and yet every time Kay said it out loud, every time Marc was reassured again by such frank admission, it still felt like a giant wave has crashed over him. He was powerless to resist.

“Come here,” he whispered, pulling Kay to him for a soft kiss, a coffee flavoured one.

“What do you think we should do then? For Mario,” Marc asked when they finally broke the kiss.

What could he do? He’s the kid’s football coach, not his therapist.

Kay seemed to think it over. He tilted his head and looked at Marc mischievously. “Nothing. Now we wait.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mario has a problem.  
> Kay learns more about Mario and Leon
> 
> Marc's and Kay's POV as indicated by ( )

(Marc)

Kay said, ‘now we wait’. Easy for him to say that because he didn’t have to see Mario every day.

“We have a problem. With Mario.”

Marc heard what the fitness trainer said, the two of them were going over the latest fitness report. Mario was recovering from a minor muscle strain injury, it wasn’t serious, it should only take a week to recover. Problem was he seemed to have put in nearly double the hours in training and exercise.

“The idiot.” Marc cursed quietly.

The fitness trainer agreed; he grimaced. “That kid needs to slow down; his running speed has actually gotten worse. He’s at risk of burnout, not allowing his body to recover between games.” He looked at Marc. “I’ve told him once, but he didn’t seem to listen.”

Marc grunted. He could guess the reason behind. Marc had done the same thing before, using training as an escape; especially during those weeks when he had forced himself to forget Kay, not wanting to go home; any idle moments had seemed like a torture when his mind kept wandering, missing Kay fiercely.

“Tell him to come see me after training today. I will have a word with him one on one,” Marc ordered.

Marc was certain Mario hasn’t brought up his visit to Marc’s home to anyone in the team, in fact, he acted like it didn’t happen in front of Marc either.

He tried to remember what he knew about the player, except Mario was from a rural town in Switzerland. Marc remembered meeting his agent and his father, who was heavily involved in his son’s career. Both had seemed fairly reasonable, though that could mean nothing when it came to football ambition - everyone knew there were three things that could destroy a footballer’s career: drugs, sex with minors and being gay.

“Hi Coach, you want to see me?” Mario said to him after Marc gestured him to close the door.

Mario sat down slightly hunched over the guest chair across from Marc’s desk, his dirty blond hair was still wet from the shower, there were bags under his blue eyes, he looked tired and drained. Marc would bet his legs were sore and his muscles aching.

Marc shook his head. “You are excused from team training. We are giving you a 48-hour rest. You will report to the fitness trainer tomorrow, he will assign someone to monitor you. Nothing except stretching and breathing exercise for one day, then weight-lifting and some cardio for the second day. We will re-evaluate after that,” Marc laid out the plan he had discussed with the fitness trainer.

“Wait a minute, Coach - “ Mario got up from his seat, he looked like a started rabbit, his adam’s apple bobbing like he’s struggling to control his breathing. “I thought I am playing this week.” He finally squeezed out.

“Not when you are obviously suffering from overtraining. You’ve lost weight, your concentration is absent; you are not getting enough sleep.” Marc looked at him pointedly, using his most stern voice, “you look like hell.”

Mario opened his mouth, then closed it again. He bit his bottom lip. “So, you’re benching me?”

Marc simply nodded. “For now.”

He watched as Mario’s carefully maintained stoic appearance crumbled - his face twisted like he was about to burst into tears.

“I just want to get fit quicker,” he said, his voice wobbled.

“Mario...” Marc softened his voice. He got around, sitting on the edge of the desk. “You - “ Marc began, then paused. Trying to strike a balance between concerned and unyielding. “You are training too hard, you’re punishing your body instead of healing it, do you understand?”

Mario nodded. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s only Tuesday. You let your body rest for two days, follow the recovery diet we gave you. I will make my decision on Friday regarding Sunday’s match, okay?”

The unshed tears still pooling in his eyes, but Mario smiled gratefully.

For a moment, Marc was reminded how young Mario was, barely 21. Not long ago he was still in Under-21 team in his home country. He’s just a kid alone in a foreign country, carrying a big secret.

Marc was no therapist and half of the time, he couldn’t even win an argument with Kay; but he wanted to say it anyway.

“Trust me, whatever you are trying to forget, a thousand push-ups won’t take your mind off it... “ he paused, decided to take the plunge. “Listen, if you ever want to talk - about anything. You can come to me, okay? My door is open, and I am not saying it to be polite. I mean it.”

At that advice, Mario gazed beseechingly at Marc with those wide blue eyes. He looked surprised; his jaw moved but seemed lost for words. Marc held his gaze awkwardly for half of a minute, was about to console himself that at least he has tried.

Then suddenly Mario veered his gaze away, cleared his throat and mumbled, “actually, I was wondering... if you don’t mind me calling Kay? He gave me his number and said if I ever want to talk... I can...”

_Of course, he did._ Marc mentally sighed.

Mario licked his lips, waiting. Marc could tell he was holding his breath, ready to take ‘no’ for answer.

Marc shook his head. “No, I don’t mind. Have a chat with Kay if you like.” He smiled faintly and added, “but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

******

(Kay)

_“C. Administration of prednisone and cimetidine...” Kay answered, then he thought maybe it should be B... when in doubt, always picks..._

“Huh? What did you say?”

_Kay could hear someone talking but he couldn’t see the person. The voice sounded very close by, he looked up from the exam paper and found himself alone in a white room. He called out, “hallo?”_

“Baby?”

Kay heard the same voice again. He blinked and opened his eyes. Marc’s amused face began to appear in his field of vision.

“You’re talking in your sleep again,” Marc told him. His hand brushing Kay’s hair in a soothing rhythm. Kay found he was actually lying on Marc’s lap. _How long has Marc been sitting here?_

“Still dreaming about taking the licence exam?” Marc asked. Kay was done with it nearly a week ago, but his subconsciousness hasn’t caught on yet.

Kay nodded. He didn’t want to see the sight of any textbook for the rest of his life. OK, maybe he would consult the books from time to time, but he’s done with the tests and examinations for two lifetimes.

“Hey. You’ve been home long?” he turned his face and leaned into the touch. Still feeling lazy and sleepy. “Sorry I fell asleep, my sleeping pattern is still fucked up,” Kay confessed. He had planned to cook dinner tonight but had dozed off on the sofa around 4pm.

Marc smiled. His fingers were still brushing Kay’s hair, the crinkles around his eyes told Kay he’s in an indulgent mood. “Want to order takeaway? Pizza or Vietnamese? You pick.”

Kay pulled him down for a soft kiss. Once. And then another. Deeper, with more tongue and teeth. Marc caught on quickly, sticking his tongue to the roof inside Kay’s mouth in a hot open mouth kiss, hands getting into Kay’s hair, holding him in place. But the awkward angle made it difficult, Kay tugged him down closer and Marc huffed out a “oof’ as their foreheads collided.

They laughed. Kay finally sat up. He thought for a second and said, “let’s order pizza.” Knowing the spicy Vietnamese food sometimes gave Marc indigestion and he only offered it because he knew Kay liked it.

They were only talking about takeaway food, but that’s how Kay saw their relationship. A series of sacrifice and compromises. Big and small. They made them every day, willingly, without thinking twice. Because if you love that person, then they aren’t hardship; they are the ultimate signs of love.

Then Kay thought of what Mario had said yesterday when they had met for a run in Waldpark Marienhöhe. About differences and compromises.

“It won’t work. We want different things.” Mario had said, with a despondency far too deep for his age.

Kay had finally learned the name of the person who had left Mario, who wanted different things - Leon Saldo. The two of them had been teammates in a lower league team in Switzerland for less than a season. They had fallen in love. Young hearts had thought they could keep this a secret and play football at the same time. Then inevitably, rumours surfaced, tough decisions had to be made - Mario had chosen football and joined St. Pauli; Leon went home alone.

Except after a while, Mario realised, a fake girlfriend and a harbour-view apartment couldn’t patch the hole in his heart; fans’ cheers couldn’t warm his bed. He’s alone, insomniac and depressed.

It was a miracle he had managed to keep his first team place until the latest muscle strain injury. According to Marc, the injury was probably due to overtraining. Mario was on a destructive path, and someone needed to intervene.

The pizza was still hot when they sat down in front of the giant TV tuned to a football talk show programme.

Marc bit into a large double cheese marghrita slice, he glanced at Kay and asked belatedly, “do you want to watch something else?” He actually looked guilty.

Kay smiled faintly to himself and shook his head. _No, it’s not a compromise, because it makes Marc happy._

They sat down to watch the latest episode of ‘Der Check24 Doppelpass’. Kay was opening two bottles of beer when he heard a familiar voice on TV. He looked up and saw Wolfgang Borgmann sitting on a sofa with the hosts, discussing last week’s Bundesliga matches.

Marc’s brows furrowed. Their relationship with Wolfgang Borgmann has improved over the years, but the father and son were never as close as they used to. Wolfgang’s pride took a beating again when Marc refused to take his advice or use his influence to get a football management job in a 1. Bundesliga team, preferred to start from a lower league with St. Pauli.

Wolfgang saw the St. Pauli job as yet another sacrifice Marc made because of Kay.

“To your father, I am like Yoko Ono. I am responsible for breaking up The Beatles.” Kay had once joked. Though Marc hadn’t found the joke funny. They maintained a civil but cool relationship with Wolfgang.

They chewed their pizza noisily as they watched Borgmann senior discussing the pros and cons of VAR. He has been a strong opponent of the Video-Assist-Referee system. Even though Bundesliga has been using it for years, there were still a lot of old guard opposing it, accepting human errors as price for spontaneity and atmosphere. One of the hosts agreed with Wolfgang.

“Can’t believe 2 out of 3 of these dinosaurs are still resisting technology.” Marc shook his head. Kay knew he’s been dying to say something.

Kay has always supported VAR, he thought all the problems surrounding it were fine-tuning issues, not VAR itself. He knew Marc supported it too because Marc cared about rules and fairness.

“These old guys has been saying the same things for the last 20 years. The football world hasn’t changed much, has it?” Marc said. There was no resignation in his voice, like he was just thinking aloud.

Kay looked at the three men on TV, their combined age was well over 180 years. That’s a lot of wisdom and stubbornness between them. Change moved at snail pace when old men like them were still the ones in charge.

“Change is scary thing to them, that’s all,” Kay reflected. Men like Marc’s father were the old guards, like a gatekeeper; they wanted to maintain the status quo, where they were respected and familiar. No wonder kids like Mario was afraid, they couldn’t see an alternative. Play by their rules or go home.

Marc seemed to pick up what he was thinking, he slid his arm around Kay and asked,” what’s on your mind?” There’s a disarming soft note in his voice.

“Leon was Mario’s first love. Real love. Not faking.” Kay clung onto Marc’s hand on his shoulder.

Kay shared very little with Marc of what he and Mario had talked about yesterday, what little he felt was fine to share.

“Leon was the friend who quitted football?”

Impressed with Marc’s memory, Kay nodded, “yes, they used to play in the same U21 team. Puppy love.”

“Wait - “ Marc put the TV programme on pause. “What did you say the friend’s name was again? Leon?”

Kay nodded.

“Must be Leon Saldo then.” Marc picked up his laptop on the coffee table and opened a document folder marked ‘Old Watch List’ and started scrolled through countless of player-bios. All the lost dreams and hopes in one folder.

“St. Pauli’s scouting team identified three players from that Swiss U21 team, and I am pretty sure I’ve seen his name...” Marc muttered to himself.

Kay forgot how brutal the football scouting business was. Every player in youth teams wants to become professional, to play in the top league, to play for their country one day; but only 1% registered players will become professionals and only 25% of these professionals will still be playing by the time they turn 21.

“You have his picture?” Suddenly Kay was really curious. He leaned his head in, crowding Marc in front of the monitor. When Marc tried to type with two fingers in the search box, he got impatient.

“You’re too slow. Let’s type it for you,” Kay said and took over the laptop.

But Marc grabbed it back. “Hey! Kay! Don’t be so impatient. I have my own system,” he grumbled and started typing again.

Finally, a headshot of a handsome young man with thick dark wavy hair and smothering big brown eyes appeared on the monitor. Underneath the photo was the name: Leon Saldo.

“Wow. No wonder Mario can’t forget this guy. He’s hot.” Kay whistled.

Marc glared at him and said slowly, “he’s hot, huh?” His tone sounded pleasant on the surface, but Kay could detect the jealousy underneath.

It wasn’t often for Marc to get jealous, most of the time, he’s too oblivious to notice anyone hitting on Kay or himself. So, Kay was having too much fun right now; he laughed and kissed Marc on his cheek, “don’t worry, he’s got nothing on you.”

Marc simply rolled his eyes.

They began to read his bio. Great scoring and assisting stats, good fitness stats, no disciplinary problems, could play in different attacking positions. On paper, Leon Saldo should be going places or at least becoming professional. But he had quitted the U21 team in Switzerland near the end of one season, had gone back to his hometown in Hannover, Germany. And now only playing in a local regional team.

It was plain something had happened.

“You think he quitted because of Mario?” Marc asked.

Kay nodded. “I am sure that played a part at least,” he answered. “Mario mentioned some incident in the dressing room. He didn’t give me the details, but he seemed to regret what he had done that day. My guess is Leon outed himself that day and he saw that incident as a sign that Mario was choosing football over their relationship, so he left. Heartbroken.”

Kay could empathise with that sentiment. _Coming out is hard; coming out when your boyfriend denies you is devastating._

Marc was quiet for so long, Kay thought he wasn’t listening. He bumped his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I did the same thing to you, remember?” Marc said softly. He turned to look at Kay, holding both of Kay’s hands on his lap, a flash of agony flickering across his handsome face.

“Oh Marc, you didn’t do anything. It was just Limpinski being his usual annoying self,” Kay quickly said, lacing his fingers with Marc’s.

“Exactly. I didn’t do anything. I let it happen to you. Didn’t defend you - “ Marc grimaced.

“Shhh... no, Marc, it’s not the same. You were scared. I WAS scared.” Kay shrugged. “We were both doing what we thought we had to do. It wasn’t like I proudly came out in front of everyone that day.”

To Kay, that dressing room incident had been a small taste of what was to come that day. It had been the same afternoon that Marc broke up with him. The darkest day of their relationship.

But Marc had made up for it 10 times over.

“Yeah, sure, I was disappointed,” Kay admitted, “but I never blamed you for it.” He lay his head on Marc’s shoulder. Nuzzling his face against Marc’s neck and jawline, letting his five o’clock stubble rub his warm skin. “And I’ve never stopped loving you. Not even after we broke up; not even when I promised myself I’d get over you.”

In a flash, Marc was holding Kay so tight, it almost made Kay breathless, like he was hanging on for dear life. Kay clutched him back. Talking about Mario and Leon has obviously triggered a long-gone fear in both of them. _What if they had wanted different things? What if Marc had chosen football?_

“I love you, baby. I never stopped. I loved you when I was a stubborn fool; I loved you when I thought I had no choice.” Marc said fiercely against Kay’s ear.

Kay angled his head and kissed Marc, tasting beer and pepperoni pizza. With one sweep of his hand, Marc pushed away the cushions and throws on the sofa; he leaned down on Kay, so they were lying horizontally, while thrusting his tongue in for a wet and hot kiss.

Marc’s body was heavy and hard on him, his hand resting on Kay’s hip. Kay arched against him and heard Marc moaned in response. Kay lifted his hips, grinding against him through two layers of jeans. Marc reached down and cup his ass in his hand, squeezing it. Kay gaped as Marc’s mouth moved to kiss his neck, his collarbone.

Kay’s fingers were trembling, but he managed to unbutton Marc’s shirt and pulled it out in one go. Marc, seemingly had less patience, simply bunched up Kay’s tee shirt and pressed down his naked chest against Kay’s.

How they had managed to get rid of their jeans, Kay had no idea. He kept arching and grinding against Marc, at some point, his hazy brain registered their jeans were on the floor and Marc was kneeling between his legs.

Kay’s fingers made a desperate grab into Marc’s thick dark hair as Marc’s warm, wet mouth closed over his cock, licking its head.

Kay made another desperate sound, he wrapped his ankles around Marc, the back of his heels rubbed against Marc’s back. “Marc, please -“ his plead was cut-short as Marc began to suck hard, deep throating. Kay stifled another cry with a bit on his bottom lip, using his hands and hips to push Marc all the way down on his cock as he came.

Marc finally released him. He moved to sit on Kay’s chest and began to pull his own cock frantically. One. Two. Three pulls were all it took. Marc cried out, his voice hoarse, his face wet with sweat from the exertion; he came powerfully on Kay’s chest.

Marc dropped his forehead against Kay’s. His breathing ragged and heavy. Kay gently brushed his sweat soaked hair back.

They panted as they gazed into each other’s eyes, Marc had a goofy grin on his face. Kay was sure he looked just the same himself.

Sofa sex. They hadn’t had one for a while. _Maybe this helping Mario business isn’t half bad_. Kay thought.

“Jesus... Axel!”

Kay’s thought broke as he heard Marc’s shout.

While they were busy having sofa sex, Axel has been helping himself with some pizza slices. A half-eaten slice was still hanging in his mouth.

“Axel, aus!” Kay barked out the order. Axel stopped his chewing and dropped the pizza slice on the floor immediately; he moved back and forth, sniffing around the pizza boxes, like he was hoping Kay would change his mind. 

Marc guffawed heartily. Shaking his head and covering his eyes with his arm.

Kay rolled on top of him, his head on Marc’s chest. He just lay there quietly for a minute, listening to Marc’s heartbeat.

The idea came to him suddenly.

“Is Oliver still the one in charge of St. Pauli’s PR activities?” Kay asked, barely moving his head on Marc’s chest. Oliver was an old teammate of Kay when they were both playing for St. Pauli.

“I think so. Why?” Marc queried half-heartedly. His eyes were still closed, his breathing finally slowed down; he looked like he’s about to fall asleep.

Kay smiled. “I have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned, the story is a canon-divergence for the Mario movie. In this story, Mario hasn't gone to look for Leon yet. It's supposed to be the period his fake girlfriend left and he's struggling. 
> 
> The bit about Leon being on the St. Pauli's scouting radar is also made up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mario's and Kay's POV, as indicated by ( )
> 
> Kay sets up an event for Mario and Leon to meet

(Mario)

_Coach Borgmann is a strange man._ Mario couldn’t reconcile the two different sides of Marc Borgmann he has been witnessing.

Mario watched his football coach tear into his teammate, Matthias, over a disastrous back pass to the goalkeeper.

“It is only training. I’ll be more careful in a real match.” Matthias was stupid enough to retort.

All eyes fell on the player who talked back.

“This is a knee-jerk pass. And you know it. If your mosquito-size brain can’t handle the pressure now, what do you think will happen in a REAL match?” Their coach didn’t even raise his voice. His stern tone and the disapproving look on his face were enough to silent everyone.

“Never pass before looking. It’s a bad habit. Get rid of it.” Coach Borgmann said.

Everyone knew it was the last warning.

And then they were dismissed for the day.

Coach Borgmann never used a lot of words, but he always got his message across. Players listened when he spoke, period.

Coach Borgmann also didn’t talk a lot when he’s with Kay. At least that’s Mario’s impression. But he seemed to have a permanent smile at the corner of his mouth. And the way he looked at Kay. That look.

Mario’s face flushed when he thought of that soft, gentle smile on Coach Borgmann’s face whenever Kay was near. The smile transformed his face; he was no longer the assertive football coach Mario knew, he’s some guy very much in love. _I bet they still fuck like bunnies. Ugh. Don’t go there. Coach is like a hundred years old. It’s like discovering your parents are still having sex._

_But it’s also... kind of sweet._ Mario had to admit. Not that he has seen Coach Borgmann snogging Kay, except that first time in their house when Coach was caught by surprise. Their intimacy was subtle, Mario noticed because he was paying attention and he was curious.

Kay had once explained that years of being in the closet has trained him to be cautious around people, even after they came out. Old habits die hard.

Mario preferred to meet Kay alone, who was a lot more approachable than Coach and he reminded Mario of Leon. Someone who was comfortable in his own skin, who was fearless and brave. Mario wanted to know, no, he wanted to understand...

Mario was still in this introspective mood when he was walking to the carpark.

“Hey Mario, wait up!”

It was his teammate, Matthias. He’s one of St. Pauli’s local sons, promoted from St. Pauli’s U21 team, so he had already been managed by Coach Borgmann before. He looked relaxed and chirpy, didn’t seem to be affected by Coach’s earlier lecture. Maybe some players have thicker skin who can just shrug off criticism.

“Hey Matty, what’s up?” Mario didn’t really have any close friends in the team. When Jenny was still pretending to be his girlfriend, sometimes he would have dinner parties with a few players and their girlfriends. In fact, it was the lying to their faces that Jenny couldn’t handle, so she left. But still players around the same age usually hung out together. It’s the natural order of team sports.

Matthias pushed his shoulder playfully. “I saw you the other day with Coach’s boyfriend in Waldpark. What’s the deal? Coach got his boyfriend to give you extra training?”

Mario felt an electric jolt running through his body. The fight or flight urge he hadn’t felt for a long time came back without warning. He swallowed, staring at Matthias’ open and curious face. Mario schooled his face into an expressionless blank.

“How do you know he’s Coach’s boyfriend?” Mario tried to buy time while ordering his heartbeat to slow down.

“Please. Everyone knows Kay Engel. He’s St. Pauli’s original prodigal son. My older brother used to be in the same track team with him. Engel was a star sprinter before he was a footballer.” Matthias rolled his eyes. “So? You are getting coached by his boyfriend too? That’s unfair - “

Kay did give him some tips on how to start quicker and accelerate when they ran together, so it wasn’t a complete lie. “It wasn’t Coach Borgmann’s idea. We are neighbours, sometimes we run into each other in Waldpark. Yeah, he gave me a few running tips, that’s all.”

Matthias bought this excuse without question. “I knew it! I know for a fact that he also improved Arne Larsen’s speed back in the day, that’s how they won the league that season. C’mon, can I join you guys?”

_Not in a million year._ Mario thought. But he pasted a smile on his face, “I’ll mention it to Kay next time I run into him.” A lie.

“Great! Maybe Coach will get him to give all of us some extra training.”

Satisfied. Matthias walked to his own car whistling.

Mario watched Matthias’ retreating back, suddenly, he really envied his teammate’s seemingly carefree persona. _Why can’t my life be uncomplicated like his? Why do people care who I love? I just want to play football and go home to someone I love... someone like Leon._

Mario got into his car in autopilot. He sat inside motionless. His mind travelled back to Switzerland, remembering the last time he saw Leon; his face pressed tight against Leon’s back, begging him to stay.

**_“I am sick and tired of lying. Of feeling like shit. Do what you want. I am going back to Germany.”_ **

**_“No. No, Leon. Please.” “Please.”_ **

**_“Goodbye, Mario.”_ **

**_“Please...”_ **

Funny how even when he couldn’t remember what clothes Leon was wearing that day, he could still remember Leon’s clean sweat scent and the exact colour spectrum of his olive skin.

Before Mario was even aware, tears were running down his cheeks. _Whoever says time heals everything is a fucking liar. The hurt hasn’t lessened at all._ Mario pressed his burning forehead to the glass and squeezed his eyes.

*buzz*

Mario wiped his nose with his sleeves and took out his mobile phone.

Kay texted him.

>>hey, want to meet at Waldpark? 4?<<

******

(Kay)

Kay could tell Mario had been crying.

His eyes were dry, and he had a smile on his face, but the puffiness under his eyes and the pinched expression behind the smile told another story. Either he’s having a bad cold, or he had had a good cry.

They jogged for about half an hour in the woodland trail. Kay was mindful to keep a moderate pace, Marc didn’t want Mario to over-exert himself again. The self-imposed physical punishment had stopped, but Mario was still carrying a cloud of misery around him.

Kay could feel a nervous energy coming off Mario’s body. The running was supposed to help Mario to relax and clear his mind, but clearly it wasn’t working today. Kay pointed to a clearing on the left side of the trail and they stopped on a stone bench.

The idea had seemed so right when it first came to Kay two weeks ago. He had contacted Oliver and the arrangement had been surprisingly easy. But now looking at Mario’s state, not his physical state, he had listened to Marc and recovered from overtraining. It was his mental state that Kay was worried about. _What if he’s not ready? What if I make it worse for them?_ Kay began to second guess himself.

_Is not knowing better than having your heart broken a second time?_

Kay knew he’d rather have the latter. _How can one move on without closing the most important chapter of your life?_

Mind made up, he turned to Mario. “I have some news.”

Mario’s blue eyes looked up. His face curious and innocent.

Kay licked his lips. “I found out Leon is playing in a team in Regionalliga Nord in Hannover.”

A beat. “He... he’s still playing football?” Mario said in wonder.

Kay nodded. “Regional league football has less pressure, most players are part-time. A few decades ago, St. Pauli was in Regionalliga Nord too. We are in the same region as Hannover.”

He could tell Mario had a lot of questions. So, he carried on, “the club still hosts friendly games with these teams from time to time, as a PR activity or to raise money for local charities.” Mario’s body tensed up. “Anyway, St. Pauli will have a game with them next Wednesday.”

“Leon’s team? But - “ Mario opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“Of course, you won’t play against them. It will be St. Pauli’s reserved team plus a few ex-players, Marc wouldn’t risk having his first team players getting injured in a friendly game. But... Leon will be here next Wednesday. We’ve seen the team sheet they sent over. He’s coming.”

That was one thing Kay had made sure before he gave Mario the news.

Mario didn’t speak for a long time. He walked past Kay a few steps, then turned back. He looked down. “It’s over for him,” he finally said.

Kay watched Mario carefully, could sense the slight tremor running through his body, like a leaf defenceless against the wind. He’s so young.

“Yes, it could well be,” Kay said honestly. “But it’s obviously not over for you.” He met Mario’s eyes. “Don’t you want to find out? He knows you’ll be here and he’s still coming. That’s a good sign, isn’t it?

Mario looked down on the concrete running trial. “Maybe he has gotten over me. Maybe he has no need to avoid me.”

Facing with Mario’s continued gloomy attitude, Kay decided to change tact. “Seems to me Leon knows who he is, and he decides he’s going to live his life the way he wants. I think he’s right to get over you. For his own sake.”

Mario snapped up at that. His eyes widened.

Kay nodded. “You can play football and be who you really are as well, but it takes courage and sacrifice. And it won’t be easy. The question you should ask yourself is not whether Leon will forgive you; the question is, are you ready to be the person who deserves Leon?”

******

Kay hasn’t been on St. Pauli’s football pitch for a long time. The last few years, he’s just a spectator in the family area.

The smell of newly cut grass filled his nostrils, the football boots and jerseys on him felt strange and yet familiar. Like a long-lost friend.

“I am sure you all know Kay Engel. He’s one of our guest players today, and myself; I am Oliver Werner.”

Kay glanced at the Hannover team. He spotted Leon Saldo right away; he looked exactly like that profile picture Kay had seen - olive-skinned, brooding brown eyes and thick eyebrows, a stark contrast to Mario’s pale gold and innocence.

Leon was not listening to Oliver Werner’s introduction, his eyes carefully sweeping his surroundings. _Looking for someone, maybe?_ Kay knew Leon had met Mario already in yesterday’s welcoming party. Marc was giving a stadium guided tour to the Hannover team - Mario had tagged along. Kay couldn’t pry much out of Marc, except that Leon had left with Mario after the event.

Mario hadn’t called or texted Kay yesterday, but he knew the first team training today had ended an hour earlier and some players were staying behind to watch the friendly game.

And right on cue, Mario appeared at the entrance of the stadium tunnel. He was wearing a black hoodie on top of a rainbow themed St. Pauli skull logo t-shirt. _Someone wants to make a statement._ Kay smiled. He relaxed a little. _Maybe... maybe..._

Kay didn’t have to look at Leon to know that those two were looking at each other. He felt a surge of hope and a sense of accomplishment. Marc was going to make fun of him, for playing cupid, but what’s the harm of a little nudge? Both Mario and Leon were so young, self-doubt, pride, hostile environment got in the way, maybe all they needed was an opportunity. The rest was up to them.

The friendly game went underway as scheduled. Kay played for about 60 minutes, even though he hadn’t played a professional football match for more than five years, he found himself enjoying it. That sense of freedom and control with the ball under his feet, nothing compared to that.

At the 58th minute, Kay made a long pass to the reserved team striker with his left foot, when the ball went in, the cheering from the crowd resonated through the stadium. It took Kay a moment to realize they were chanting his name.

Like in most friendly matches, there were no quota for substitutions, so more players could participate, the St. Pauli reserved team manager substituted Kay after the goal. He left the pitch under loud cheers and chants, a section of the fans with rainbow banners cheered the loudest. Kay raised his hands to clap and thanked the fans.

Marc was watching near the technical area, he greeted Kay with a huge smile. “So, this has been your secret plan. You got yourself a farewell match that you didn’t have,” he teased. He squeezed Kay’s bicep in a half hug while the media flashed their cameras. Kay knew that’s all the PDA Marc would tolerate.

He went to sit next to Mario.

“Your famous left foot,” Mario quipped.

Kay raised his eyebrows mockingly. “You saw that? I thought your eyes were on Leon only the whole time.”

Kay could see two reactions battling within Mario - he immediately looked around to see if anyone was listening; then he looked equally guilty for being paranoid.

“It’s okay. You have nothing to be ashamed of, but you are allowed to be cautious.” Kay said gently.

Mario nodded slightly. Colours rose on his pale cheeks. He looked good today, looking well rested and... something else.

After a few minutes, with his head down, Mario said quietly, “we had a long talk last night.” No need to clarify who was ‘we’. “We... Leon and I are going to give it a try again.” Followed by a faint smile.

Mario lifted his gaze and met Kay’s. He added, “I feel some part of me has been set free, and I know for sure now that I don’t want to lose him again. Even though I am still so scared.”

Kay nodded with understanding. “Scared is good. Scared means you know it’s worth it,” he replied simply.

They both went back to watch the match. There was no doubt that Leon was the key player of the Hannover team and he was a level above the rest. He set up his teammates with a few good chances, but they simply didn’t have the skills to convert them into goals. St. Pauli was still leading 2-0.

“What’s going to happen if...” Mario began. Then stopped.

“If you come out? You know it won’t be a problem with Marc and St. Pauli,” Kay said. “But I am not going to lie, you will still get a lot of stick. Your agent won’t like it because your resale value will drop as a player.” Kay’s brow furrowed. “Some clubs just won’t buy openly gay players, so your options will be limited.”

“Didn’t someone try to kill you?” Mario whispered, he sounded horrified.

_Of course, Mario had read about that. That crazy FC Duisburg fan who couldn’t get laid..._

Kay snorted. “I wasn’t even out when that happened. And that’s the point! Some people wanted to do me harm just over some rumours, which I have no control over. At least when I come out, I am the one making the decision.”

Thunderous cheering noise suddenly erupted from the visiting Hannover fans. Leon has scored. It was a perfect header at the near post.

“He’s very good.” Kay whistled when the goal was replayed on the giant screen in the stadium.

“He’s perfect.” Mario said softly.

The friendly match ended 2-1.

Kay stayed behind to give a few rare post-match interviews to the media, something he had promised Oliver when he suggested to invite Hannover for a friendly. The match’s ticket proceeds would be donated to a charity for at-risk LGBTQ youngsters, so it was for a good cause.

He popped around to Marc’s office afterwards.

Marc’s head was buried in endless piles of reports, charts, and team sheets. Football manager paperwork. Kay cleared his throat.

Marc looked up. His lips twitched. “You look awfully pleased with yourself, Mr Kay Engel.”

Kay smiled. He closed the office door behind him, pushing the lock in place.

As he walked over to Marc, he was fully intending to just sit on the edge of the desk, but he changed his mind the last second and sat on Marc’s lap.

“Ouch!” Marc yapped. Pretending to complain about Kay’s weight.

“Shut up. I am not heavy.” Kay looped his arms around Marc’s neck. Their mouths were about to meet when Marc suddenly said, “wait. I feel weird making out with you when you are in a St Pauli player jersey.”

Kay pulled back. “Why?”

Marc grimaced. “I don’t know. It’s like making out with one of my players. Which is – “he shuddered, made a disgusted noise.

Kay laughed. He took his football jersey off. His hands back on Marc’s face, his bare chest brushing Marc’s pristine white shirt. “How about now? Better?” Kay asked, nibbling Marc’s lower lip.

Marc kissed him back. He breathed out, “Jesus, Kay... Don’t start something we can’t finish,” Marc said between kisses; his hands cupping the side of Kay’s face, stroking his 2-day old stubble. Happily allowing his actions contradicting his words.

“Why. I don’t know what you mean...” Kay played innocent. He pushed against Marc harder with his body.

“Scheiße...” Marc moved his hand down to grab Kay’s hip, his palm cupping his ass.

Knock. Knock.

“Coach Borgmann?” Someone called from outside.

Marc stood up so quickly he almost bumped Kay off the chair.

“Hey!” Kay glowered. “Relax. The door is locked” he hissed at Marc.

But Marc didn’t care; he smoothed his shirt and glared at Kay’s still naked chest.

Kay put the football jersey back on - slowly.

Marc huffed and went to unlock his door. He was visibly taken aback by the two players standing outside his office. “Hey, Mario. Hey... Leon?”

_Oh. Interesting._ Kay thought. He said hello to them from the back. “Hi Mario, Leon.”

Mario’s face couldn’t get any redder, but that wasn’t the strangest thing. It was the smirk on Leon’s face that Kay finally realised what had happened.

He had worn the football jersey inside out in a hurry.

_Scheiße._

But nothing Kay could do about it now. So, he didn’t. He went over to shake Leon’s hand. The Hannover player’s smile grew even wider.

_Leon is alright._

Marc took one look at Kay’s jersey and looked like he wanted to strangle him right there; he finally managed to remain calm and asked Mario, “what’s up?”

“We... erm... Leon actually volunteered for the charity, so he wanted to say thank you to you.” Mario finally got the words out.

“Yes, the money raised will help a lot of kids in the Hannover centre. So, thank you.” Leon’s voice had a deep timbre, he sounded polite and confident. Mario looked mesmerised right there already.

The work-related topic relaxed Marc instantly. He shook off his Football Coach persona and grinned. “It was Kay’s idea,” he said proudly.

Kay was surprised by the possessive hand Marc suddenly landed on the nape of his neck.

_My Marc is more than alright._

Leon turned to Kay and said thank you again. His eyes glanced from Kay to Marc and then back to Kay. “I had a great time today,” Leon said.

“You played well,” Kay told him. He wondered if St. Pauli’s scouting team were watching today. Well, he didn’t even know if Leon still wanted to play professional football.

_One thing at a time._

Kay put his football jersey back on correctly, and before Marc could protest, Kay planted a quick kiss on Marc’s cheek and threw out, “I’ll go have a beer with these two at the lounge. See you at home?”

They closed the door before Marc could answer.

Kay asked Leon about the trip and his job while they walked to the stadium’s VIP lounge.

“I am training to be a sound engineer,” Leon mentioned.

“Leon is a musician,” Mario chimed in. “He’s a great rapper.” He sounded like a proud boyfriend.

Leon bumped his shoulder. “Stop telling everyone about my amateur rapping.” Looking uncharacteristically shy.

“Why not? You’re good...” Mario said.

Kay smiled. “Rap music is football players’ number one choice of music. There is more connection between these two professions than you think.” He offered the only thing he could think of to say to these two love birds.

“Mr Engel?”

Kay stopped. He turned around and saw St Pauli’s left back Matthias Wagner calling him.

The defender stopped in front of them. “Coach Borgmann said you’ll be here.” He’s grinning ear to ear, like he had won the lottery.

“Hey, Mario” Matthias greeted. Then his eyes began to go back and forth between Mario and Leon, “who’s your friend?”

The moment of truth came sooner than they expected.

Mario froze. For a few fraught moments, Kay was dreading to see Mario jerking away, retreating, running back to that dark place when Kay had first met him.

Leon might be having the same thought, Kay saw him starting to take a step away... then in a flash, Mario grabbed Leon’s shoulder and pulled him closer. His eyes meeting Leon’s surprised gaze.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Mario answered.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Five seconds later. Matthias finally came out of his stupor while everyone was holding their breath; he reached out his hand to Leon. “Nice to meet you. I am Matty.”

“Me too. I am Leon.” Leon shook his hand, his smile easy and wide.

“Mario.” Matthias playfully hit Mario’s back. “You’re just full of surprises.”

That’s it. That seemed to be all he had to say about this subject.

Matthias then turned his attention back to Kay; rubbing the back his neck, he asked, “Mr Engel, how about those running lessons?”

“Call me Kay... what running lessons?” Kay asked. Puzzled.

“Mario said you gave him some tips about sprinting. I am hoping I can get a lesson or two as well. He said he would ask you. Coach Borgmann said many times I need to improve my speed, I mean, that’s what modern football is all about now. Speed... stamina...” Matthias blabbering away like there was no tomorrow.

“Did he now?” Kay threw a quick glance at Mario.

Mario flashed him a cheeky grin. Looking happier than he’s ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the crossover with the Mario movie. I hope you'd find their HFN good enough. 
> 
> There are probably more standalone stories from this universe of Marc and Kay, I just need to figure out what ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading, leaving kudos and commenting.


End file.
